Orders and reports thread

[econ21]

Chancellor's Report for 1210

My Lords,

The year has been uneventful. Duke Otto evicted the rebel Mohammadans from Jerusalem. For this service, he has been named King of Outremer. A diplomat has been sent to return the Holy City to the Papacy.

The Household Armies continue with their assigned duties.

The only real news I can provide is some absurd diplomatic escapades. The Moors declared war on us and then promptly asked for a ceasefire. I agreed in return for a tribute of 500 gold for ten turns, to compensate me for the tedium of having to waste good parchment reporting on their antics. A Danish Prince asked me to assassinate his father. I have a mind to find the young Prince and assassinate the cur instead, but no doubt father and son deserve each other.

Oh, and there was some little difficulty with one of my retinue. You just can't find the staff these days.


Kaiser Henry

[econ21]

Chancellor’s Report for 1212

My Lords,

This report contains news somewhat more momentous than the trivia of my last.

First, the horse lords have arrived at Baghdad. I have a mind to see what manner of men are these - perhaps I should despatch a diplomat and a spy, if I do not travel there in person.

Second, Pope Pisanus died. While Eusebius der Pfalz was one of the Preferati, our allies the Sicilians also fielded a strong candidate who I decided our Cardinals should back. Pope Angellus was suitably grateful, restoring our relations with the Papacy to Perfect (they had sunk to so-so before Pisanus’s death).

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Unfortunately, the Lord valued Angellus too much and spirited him away from us before this year was out. This time, I voted for our own Eusebius der Pfalz. These chaotic events in the Papacy have prevented us negotiating the quick transfer of Jerusalem (OOC: our diplomat has taken time getting to the Papal army). But the Diet can be assured the transfer will be complete by my next report.

My first act of diplomacy with the new German Pope was to request a crusade on Damascus, as mandated by Edict 8.3. In accordance with our Charter, I request all generals who wish to join the crusade to give me notice within 48 hours. I understand Count von Hamburg will join, but need to know Austria’s representative. In this connection, I recommend to Duke Leopold a most promising young Austrian general called Karl Zirn, recently married to the Duke’s daughter Meckil.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

I turn now to the affairs of each of the four Houses.

The Franconian Household Army is approaching Krakow, although the Papal mission to refrain from hostilities with the Poles will last until the time of my next report.

The Swabian Household Army, however, is now free of its injunction and so in my next report I hope to report it is besieging Rheims.

The Austrian Household Army is nearing Thessalonica, Jonas von Mahren having safely rendezvoused with Duke Leopold. Unfortunately, a large Hungarian army is approaching Budapest. I am training a professional force at Ragusa to come to the aid of the city’s militia, but I lack an outstanding general to lead them (Count von Hamburg is near but I am unsure whether to distract him from his journey to the Levant).

The Bavarian Household Army has, however, been ordered to stand down at Ajacco. The Milanese approached me for a ceasefire and I judged it best to accept, leaving them the accursed island and establishing trade rights with their merchants. I realise that I may be criticised for this decision in the light of 8.1, but I hope Duke Otto will see that he has gained his ceasefire and saved the 5000 florins he was prepared to spend. Ironically, I did contact Gerherd Steffen offering him the chance to assault the fortress before I was approached by the Milanese, but I fear his many ailments must have drawn him away and he did not respond in time. However, I do not withdraw the Bavarians from Corsica with any reluctance. I came to power promising a Pax Romana and that is what I am working towards. Moreover, a large rebel army has gathered near Rome and Conrad Salier’s militia are simply no match for them. I will be grateful to bring the Bavarian Household Army home to see them off.

In other news, Prince Hans has finally set sail for Constantinople. I am also pleased to announce that our heavy recruitment of Teutons from Frankfurt has led to their Chapter establishing its headquarters in that city. They have also opened up a minor chapter in Magdeburg. I wish they could be persuaded to serve in Outremer.

Now, my Lords, I have much to attend to,

Until next time,


Kaiser Henry



Save for the beginning of 1214:

http://www.totalwar.org/patrons/pbm/1214-1.zip

[econ21]

Chancellor's report for 1214

My Lords,

Another quiet year - we seem to alternate between the frenetic and soporific.

The Franconian Household Army came within spitting distance of Krakow. By the time of my next report, Duke Kastilien will be free of Papal restraint and able to strike at some of the several Polish armies milling around their capital.

The Austrian Household Army has laid siege to Thessalonica.

The Bavarian Household Army has landed near Florence, heading for the rebel army north of Florence.

The Swabian Household Army has laid siege to Rheims.

Prince Jobst marched his Army of the Interior to Prague, attempting to forestall the Hungarian advance on Budapest. Fortunately, the Hungarians turned back at the end of the year, alleviating this threat. The Prince may next year march towards Hamburg, as Danish and Scottish armies are lurking around our northern flank - a worry given that Count von Hamburg and his two sons are heading to Ragusa to join the crusade on Damascus.

In Outremer, King Otto defeated two small Egyptian armies trespassing on the land of our Papal allies. The spy I sent to find the horse lords has instead spotted a large Egyptian city, Edessa, west of Aleppo. I intend to take it, as there should be no Egyptian presence north of Gaza and Edessa will provide a first line of defence against any Mongol invasion.

The end of the year brought an unpleasant shock however: a Russian army has besieged Thorn. Although the fortress is well garrisoned, it lacks a distinguished general - I sent the Count of Thorn to earn his spurs with his father near Krakow.

I suspect, as has become the pattern, my next report may be more eventful than this.


Kaiser Henry

[econ21]

Chancellor’s report, 1216


My Lords,


Due to conservative spending in 1214, we began the year with twice our usual starting balance: 42,353 florins. This allowed me to indulge in some largesse to the church: an abbey was ordered to be built in Marseilles for Gerherd Steffen to recuperate in, while in Nuremburg work was begun on a cathedral dedicated in honour of the late Maximillan Mandorf.

The Pope invited us to begin our crusade to Damascus, but I will hold off a while. My brother, Duke Leopold, has requested to lead the crusade and must return from Thessalonica to Ragusa to head the force I am gathering there for him. Count von Hamburg is nearing Ragusa with both his adult sons and young Karl Zirn has reached there from Rome. There are also two sons of Jonas von Mahren at Ragusa. Their father will take over command of the Austrian Household Army now besieging Thessalonica. Duke Leopold has decided pressing an assault on Thessalonica would be too costly right now, so there will be a pause while more siege engines are constructed. I am hopeful the besieged Venetians will be emboldened by their superior numbers to attempt a sally.

Duke Leopold and Count Jonas face some interesting strategic dilemmas at the moment. They have two armies - the Austrian Household Army and the nascent crusader force. But they face three strong forces - a Hungarian army loitering around the border of Budapest; the besieged Venetians in the Thessalonica and their compatriots at Durazzo. I would welcome any opinions from Jonas or Leopold on how to respond to these challenges. I feel the enemy at Durazzo must be bloodied before the Crusade proper begins; I cannot risk letting Ragusa fall to Venice - it is in the process of upgrading to a Citadel and is far too precious to lose. As for the Hungarians, I now regret turning back Prince Jobst’s Army of the Interior from its march on Budapest.

The mercantile expedition has made landfall in North Africa although they are not as close to Northern Egypt as I would have liked. However, the Egyptian navy is powerful and my priority is to join their transports with those of Prinz Hans’s expedition to Constantinople. The combined fleet may be able to transport Duke Leopold’s crusade in due course. The merchants and priests will have to walk the rest of the way to their destination.

France has been excommunicated although I caution Swabians not to get too excited by this news given the venerable age of our Pontiff. The Swabian Household Army under Duke Scherer has stormed Rheims with very low casualties.

While the Russians besiege Thorn, our Baltic fleet has sunk two of their warships. The Franconian Household army has been unleashed on the Poles around Krakow. Duke von Kastilien reports bitter fighting and feels his army lacks the strength to push on to siege Krakow. I have authorised his withdrawal north towards Thorn. Another of the Duke’s sons, Peter, has come of age.

In the Levant, I cut down an Egyptian general who foolishly attempted to block my advance on Edessa. Next turn I will besiege the city, but it is clear it will not fall until I am out of office. Prince Ulrich has been authorised to hunt down a band of Turks trespassing around Adana, but deemed them not worth getting out of bed for.

My next report will be my last. I am sure you will be glad to be rid of me.



Kaiser Henry

[TevashSzat]

With Rheims newly taken, here are the build orders.

I do not remember the length of construction, but here is a general order.

church
ballista towers
next higher level church
militia square (i think, but its the barracks thing)

Please train additional militia to garrison the city as soon as possible.

[econ21]

Chancellor’s Report for 1218

The year began with disaster: despite having a strong garrison, the fortress of Thorn fell to a bold assault from a Russian force half its size. The only consolation from this bitter defeat is that the Russians chivalrously spared the fortress from being sacked or exterminated.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

There are, I believe, lessons from this bitter defeat. First, we cannot rely on garrisons to protect our frontiers. The garrison I provided for Thorn was the force that the late Maximillan thought sufficient to hold Adana against all comers - vis, three regiments of spearmen, three of archers and two of dismounted feudal knights. However, what was missing was clearly the late Maximillan or his equivalent - a distinguished general to oversee the defences. I know that the Count of Thorn will feel resentment that he was not kept in post to defend Thorn. However, in my defence I can only say that I had no knowledge that Russia would attack us until Thorn was besieged and I judged the priority to be the Count earning his spurs in battle against the Poles, so that then he could be used to freely command forces in Franconia and elsewhere.

A second lesson of Thorn is that our borders have become stretched, especially with Household Armies assigned to conquer neighbouring provinces. When Thorn fell, the Franconian army was far away outside Krakow. Similarly, when Genoa was menaced, the Bavarian army was in Corsica. When the Hungarians threatened Breslau and the Venetians massed at Durazzo, the Austrian army was in Thessalonica. Now the Swabian army is at Rheims, I fear for Marsellies and Metz. Duke Otto has said that it is the Chancellor’s responsibility to balance the imperatives of implementing edicts for conquest with the need for homeland defence. Perhaps there is some truth in this, but I believe Houses should exercise more oversight over the deployment of their forces and provide more nuanced edicts or standing orders that recognise the primacy of defending our borders.

In response to the loss of Thorn, I began the march northwards of Duke Kastilien’s battered household army from outside Krakow back to Thorn. Unfortunately, a small Polish army blocked the road north and we are once again subject to a Papal injunction to desist from attacking them. Consequently, the FHA was forced to go off road and skirt round the Poles. To speed up the march on Thorn, I detached the catapult batteries from the FHA and sent them to Breslau under the Count of Thorn’s command.

In Rheims, the Swabian Household Army is under siege by an inferior French army. I have yet to learn if the Duke of Swabia will lead a sally out of the city. After the debacle of Thorn, I will not authorise a junior commander to fight the battle. [OOC: no autoresolving here!]

Prince Jobst has crushed a rebel army south of Frankfurt. North of Rome, Steward Scherer has finally reached the rebel army menacing our interior. I await news of the battle.

Near Ragusa, Duke Leopold has joined with the bulk of the army to be formed into a crusade. Count Salier is bringing up more knights. I do not say that all the nobles gathering there will join the crusade but I am giving my successor as Chancellor the freedom about who else to include (beyond Leopold, Salier and Zirn). Before departing, Duke Leopold and the next Chancellor may wish to strike down the Venetians massing around Durazzo. Otherwise, I fear that they will do to Ragusa what the Russians have done to Thorn. There is also the strong Hungarian army wandering around the borders of Budapest. Count Mahren remains besieging Thessalonica, but I believe this endeavour may prove futile just like the Bavarian strike at Corsica and the Franconian march on Krakow. I should also report that Spain and Denmark have embarked on the crusade to Damascus. In other Austrian news, Zagreb has accepted a Merchant’s guild.

At sea, a small Egyptian fleet has reached Ragusa and sunk some of the ships that transported Conrad Salier to Ragusa. This means that we are unable to reinforce the crusade with units from the BHA despite Steward Steffen’s generous offer. The ships returning from landing our mercantile expedition in north Africa encountered a much larger Egyptian fleet. Fortunately, the enemy did not strike but I was sufficiently alarmed to send the ships to join with Prinz Hans’s armada. I pray that our large naval force will be sufficiently strong to protect the transports bringing the Prinz’s army to Constantinople.

I declined an offer of marriage for Demuth von Hamburg. There was nothing wrong with the young suitor, but with all the Kastiliens, von Hamburgs and von Mahren’s swanning around Rome and Ragusa, the last thing I felt the Reich needed was another Franconian trying to make an impression.

In the Levant, I drove off a small band of Egyptians under a chap called Medhat Karfur. At the time, I lacked any full regiments of pavise crossbowmen and the difficulty of dealing with Medhat’s one regiment of Mameluk archers has impressed on me the importance of having sufficient missiles if we ever have to face a horse archer force such as that of the horse lords. I recommend that the next Chancellor increase the proportion of pavisers in our Outremer archers as a precautionary measure. After the battle, I ransomed Medhat back to Edessa and have assembled a strong army on the approach to the city.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Without decent archers, Henry finally corners the Mameluks.

Now that Antioch is mainly Christian, I have moved our many Cardinals and priests to Damascus to convert the population in advance of our crusade. I hope our crusaders will be able to occupy the city without having to massacre its population. I have ordered all our settlements in Outremer to recruit more priests. I believe some priests should be sent to Edessa if the next Chancellor intends to take it from the Egyptians as I would recommend. Our spies have encountered the horde of horse lords south of Baghdad. A diplomat is en route to parley with them.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Here’s Jonny! (Or Ghengis or whoever)

That ends my last annual report. I will provide short review of my full term in office shortly.


Kaiser Henry

[Dutch_guy]

After my son's courageous participation in the Franconian Household army's intense battle of last year, he is now knighted - and fully able to lead a force of his own in battle.